Hiking and climbing mountains inspired me into this life philosophy - LIFE IS A MOUNTAIN. Every step you make leads to summit. You may be forced to turn around or change routes for any cause, never know. But, stay focused and look forward. The mountain will be there always. Pace yourself and reach "your" summit, for every step counts. Enjoy the view and feed your soul as it comes along. Life is a journey, not a destination. Life is like climbing a mountain.....
Cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Tokyo now. There are many places to
view cherry blossoms in Tokyo. I hit some of the best cherry blossom
viewing spots:
Sumida River Park Ueno Park Rikugikan Tokyo Midtown
I particularly enjoyed Yozakura: cherry blossoms at night. Lanterns or
lights light up the blossoms at night. Hanami: flower viewing...is
popular not only during the daytime, but also at night.
Hidden gem of Yozakura is the streets up the hill next to Ark Hills from
Roppongi-Itchome towards the Embassy of Spain and Izumi Garden. The
blossoms of the large cherry trees along the streets are spectacular and perhaps not known by many because I hardly saw people
there. It could be a hidden gem for a cherry blossom viewing spot.
Kabukicho 歌舞伎町, here I come! Kabukicho is called "Sleepless Town" and known for an entertainment and red-light district in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Kabukicho has many bars, host/hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants, and nightclubs...including the "wacky" Robot Restaurant. And, a general rule of thumb while you are in Kabukicho: tourists are prime targets for touts and hustlers....so, watch out and just keep walking unless you know the place to go in or what to expect.
Kabukicho’s name comes from the late-1940s plan to build a kabuki theater. However, the theater was never built, but the name made it. Kabukicho has been also a filming location for Hollywood movies like Lost in Translation. AND, it is one place on earth to remind you of some scenes of Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner (1982) as Kabukicho is said to have inspired Blade Runner’s set design.....neon lights and narrow winding alleys of red lantern yakitori bars, noodle shops and atmospheric nuances. You can imagine yourself stepping into some scenes of Blade Runner as you wander around through 思い出横丁(Omoide yokocho/Memory Lane, aka Piss Alley) and ゴールデン街(Golden Gai/Golden District) in Kabukicho. However, don’t expect a sighting of Rick Deckard or Gaff there, though.
Chofu City Autumn Fireworks Festival 2018 10,000 fireworks illuminated the clear autumn night sky in Chofu City, Tokyo, entertaining 350,000 spectators.
Asakusa (浅草) is, perhaps, one of the most popular and photographed sightseeing places in Tokyo. Sensoji (浅草寺) and Kaminarimon (雷門), Nakamise (仲見世), and Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー) are among the best known in Asakusa.
Asakusa is down to earth and you can experience Tokyo's "shitamachi" (下町)....literally means "lower town" or "downtown" vs. Yamanote (山の手) or "upper town". Shitamachi is a local area where common people used to live. It's a friendly and traditional neighborhood. Shitamachi has become very popular with Japanese and foreign tourists who look for the real soul of Tokyo!
Wow! I came across this fully automated mechanical bicycle parking
system in Roppongi, Tokyo.
It was quite impressive to see how the system works.
Such an automated mechanical parking system is able to accommodate a large number of bicycles in a
limited space such as a city like Tokyo. Thanks to pretty amazing
mechanical engineering.
Video by Lifeisamt
My favorite Ameyoko (アメ横)!!! This is the place one must visit at least once while visiting in Tokyo. It's a busy market street between JR
Okachimachi and Ueno Stations.
You can experience Tokyo's "shitamachi"
(real down to earth downtown district).
The name "Ameyoko" comes from "Ameya Yokocho", meaning ameya=candy store
and yokocho=side alley. “Ame" also stands for "America", because
American products used to be available there for a black market after
World War II.
In Ameyoko, you can find amazing deals for all sorts of products like
clothes, shoes, bags, cosmetics, jewelry, fresh fish, dried food,
spices, candies (of course!) and much more. Most Ameyoko stores open
9:30am to 8pm.
Ueno Park 上野公園 was established in 1873 and became the first public park
in Japan. It is a large park/53,000 square meter plot which includes
Ueno Zoo, Shinobazu Pond, the National Museum of Western Art, the
Shitamachi Museum and many other sightseeing spots such as shrines,
temples and gardens. You need a full day to see the entire park. And, a
statue of Saigo Takamori, the famous general in the Battle of Ueno,
stands near the park's southern entrance.
Sumida River Fireworks. Spectacular fireworks display over the Sumida
River in Tokyo. 20,000 fireworks in 1.5 hrs with over 1 million
spectators. Super!
Yasukuni Shrine Mitama Matsuri is one of the most popular (300,000
visitors!) and biggest summer festivals in Tokyo.
First held in 1947,
the festival lights up the path to the shrine with more than 30,000
lanterns each evening during the festival. There are mikoshi parades, taiko drum
performance, concerts and Bon Odori (traditional matsuri dance) as well
as food and drink stalls.
Mitama Matsuri ("soul festival") was founded in 1947 based on a Japanese
traditional ancestral ceremony practiced in mid-summer, known as Obon.
It's a beautiful summer festival you can experience in Tokyo!
Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社/Yasukuni Jinja), is a Shinto shrine. It was
founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those Japanese
who died in the wars from the Meiji era through part of the Shōwa
period.
St. Mary's Cathedral in Tokyo is STUNNING!!! It"s a must visit. Very spiritual
experience. Really.
The shape of the cathedral also reminds me of St.
Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco, CA.
"The original wooden structure, constructed in 1899 in the Gothic style,
was destroyed during the air raids on Tokyo during World War II. The
present church, designed by Kenzo Tange, was completed in 1964. Tange
was assisted by Wilhelm Schlombs, architect to the Archdiocese of
Cologne, construction engineer Yoshikatsu Tsuboi, who had worked with
Tange on previous projects, and Swiss architect Max Lechner." (Wikipedia) There's also a grotto across the parking lot from the cathedral. The grotto replicates the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, France, which is known for an apparition of St. Virgin Mary
on 25 February 1858. Many pilgrims to
Lourdes follows the instruction of Our Lady of Lourdes to drink
at the spring and bathe in it. Lourdes water is considered Holy Water.
Kagurazaka Festival (神楽坂まつり阿波踊り) is a very popular summer festival in the
neighborhood of Kagurazaka, Tokyo.
It's a four day matsuri (festival) with Hozugi Market (Japanese Lantern
Plant sale) and Awa Odori Festival (traditional dance performance
originated in Tokushima Prefecture).
The festival takes place on Kagurazaka Dori—the main street of
Kagurazaka with a great number of Yatai (food and drink stalls). It's
exciting to see such an energetic traditional Japanese dance - Awa
Odori!
Tokyo International Forum(東京インターナショナルフォーラム) is quite magnificent. It's one of the coolest
buildings I've seen.
TIF has multiple conference rooms and halls.
The inside of TIF is a combination of space and architectural frames,
which really made me feel like I was in a huge spaceship! There are also
art exhibits, shops and restaurants in the complex.
I highly recommend to check out TIF!...for stunning architecture, exploring the building, or just being there and amazed!! TIF can be accessed from JR Yurakucho or Tokyo station.
Asakusa celebrated the 37th Samba Carnival 2018 this weekend. Wow, it
was fun and beautiful....the most dazzling parade I’ve seen so far. No
kidding. It’s quite an array of colorful costumes, creative floats,
artistic/creative choreography of dance and carnival music with high
energy. The dancers are quite entertaining and friendly with smiles and
kisses! It’s a fantastic carnival that both performers and spectators
really enjoy.
Connecting the dots, Japan has a close relationship with
Brazil....Brazil has the largest Japanese diaspora in the world....so,
it makes sense Tokyo has such an amazing carnival as its relative Rio’s
in Brazil does!
If you happen to be in Tokyo in summer(late August), Asakusa Samba
Carnival is a must see for sure!... it's a galore of creative samba
floats, energetic marching bands and beautiful dancers with dazzling
costumes with colorfully feathered head dresses. TWO THUMBS UP!!
